Saturday, July 12, 2008

Yogurt and Herb Bread

This easy focaccia-like bread is made particularly tasty with the addition of natural yogurt and fresh herbs. I like to use fresh oregano and rosemary and a dough made with all-purpose unbleached flour. Recipe serves 8.

Ingredients:

2 sachets dried yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose (plain) flour
2 pound (1 kg) all-purpose (plain) flour
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Extra flour for kneading
4 tablespoons natural yogurt
1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped
1 tablespoon oregano, finely chopped
Water at room temperature

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl put the yeast, sugar and 1 tablespoon flour. Add 2-3 tablespoons water at room temperature. Mix well and allow to stand in warm place for 15 minutes.
2. Stir in 2 pound all-purpose flour, oil, salt and about 2 2/3 cups water. When mixed, cover with damp tea towel and leave for at least 45 minutes in warm room and up to an hour in a cold one. The dough should double in size.
3. On a floured surface, knead dough for at least 15 minutes adding flour to keep dough from sticking to the fingers.
4. Split into three portions and knead each piece separately. Roll into pizza shapes before placing on oiled pizza tins, or roasting pans.
5. Spread a little yogurt onto each pizza, and press little indentations with the fingertips for the yogurt to settle. Sprinkle with salt, rosemary and/or oregano.
6. Cover again with tea towel and leave for 10 minutes.
7. Bake in very hot oven (440 degrees F/220 degrees C) for 15 to 20 minutes till golden on top. Serve warm.

Brandied Fig Ice Cream


An easy homemade ice cream dessert flavored with brandy and glace fruit. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

6 ounces (185 g) dessert glace figs
1 1/2 tablespoons brandy
1 pint (600 ml) cream
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 pound (250 g/punnet) strawberries

Method:

1. Puree figs in mincer or processor, add brandy, mix well. Heat cream, without boiling. Beat egg yolks and sugar together in electric mixer, gradually beat in cream. Return to pan, stir constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens slightly; do not boil.
2. Add brandied fig mixture, cool to room temperature. Pour mixture into loaf tin, cover with aluminum foil, freeze several hours or until partly set. 3. Remove from tin, beat in electric mixer until smooth, return to tin, cover with foil. Freeze several hours, or overnight.

Ice cream can be cut into slices for serving, or spooned into dessert glasses. Garnish with strawberries.

Stir-Fried Nutty Spinach

A quick, simple stir-fry of fresh spinach and pine nuts, prepared in an oriental style with a crunchy character. Recipe serves 4 as a side dish.

Ingredients:

1 bunch English spinach
2 ounces (50 g) pine nuts
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Black pepper

Method:

1. Remove stalks from spinach leaves and discard. Wash leaves in three changes of water, drain and dry on paper towel.
2. In a large non-stick frying pan, or a wok, over high heat, toast pine nuts in sesame oil until browned.
3. Add spinach and stir for one minute.
4. Stir in nutmeg and a sprinkling of pepper and continue cooking for 30 seconds or so, until spinach has softened. Serve straight from pan.

Baked Beans Deluxe


For a cheap family dinner try this easy one-pot baked bean casserole served with hot wholemeal bread or rolls. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 x 14 ounce (440 g) cans baked beans in tomato sauce
1 stick celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 green capsicum (pepper), chopped
6 1/2 ounce (190 g) can champignons, drained
14 ounce (440 g) can pineapple pieces, drained
1/2 cup treacle
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash Tabasco sauce
7 ounces (200 g) smoked frankfurters, sliced

Method:

1. Combine baked beans with celery, onion, green capsicum, champignons and pineapple in large ovenproof dish. Stir in treacle, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and frankfurters. Bake, uncovered, in moderate oven 1 1/2 hours.

Smoked Cod and Cheesy Macaroni


A complete meal in itself, this tasty baked fish, pasta and vegetables dish can be cooked in either a conventional or microwave oven. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

7 ounce (205 g) packet Macaroni and Cheese
1 pound (500 g) smoked cod
8 ounces (250 g) zucchini, grated
1 red capsicum (pepper), chopped
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornflour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup grated tasty cheese

Method:

1. Cook macaroni in boiling water 10 minutes; drain. Place macaroni in ovenproof dish.
2. Place fish in frying pan, cover with water, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 10 minutes (or microwave on High 5 minutes), drain. Flake fish, discarding skin and bones. Add fish to zucchini and capsicum, spoon over macaroni.
3. Place cheese sauce mix from packet in saucepan, add milk, cream and lemon juice, stir until boiling. Add cornflour blended with water, stir until mixture boils and thickens, pour over fish mixture. Sprinkle with cheese, bake, covered, in moderate oven 20 minutes, remove cover, bake further 10 minutes (or microwave on High 10 minutes).